Assessing sleep quality of Lebanese high school students in relation to lifestyle: pilot study in Beirut

Background: Sleep problems in teenagers seriously disturb the active process of learning. Given the absence of sleep data from Lebanon, a study to determine sleep quality among adolescents is vital. Aims: To understand sleep habits and patterns that affect sleep quality, and assess the amplitude of possible sleep problems in Lebanese adolescents, raising awareness of the effects of good sleep hygiene on general health in adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 500 high-school students in Beirut was conducted using a self-filled questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographics, health-risk behaviour and sleep quality. The effect of several factors related to sleep habits of the students was investigated using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Results: We found that 76.5% of teenagers were not satisfied with their sleep quality; 56% did not have the appropriate amount of sleep (< 8 hours); and 82.4% used mobile phones and electronic devices in bed before falling asleep. Moreover, 3.2% faced a real problem with sleep initiation, 11.3% with sleep maintenance and 8.7% with early awakening. Conclusions: A large proportion of high-school students in Beirut have poor sleep patterns. It is therefore necessary to increase awareness of the problem in education in order to prevent its escalation.